Tribond Vocabulary Development
This classroom activity is similar to the Mattel Taboo game; see other links for the Tribond game. The game requires students to
determine the common bond from a list of three items. The words on the list and common bond that students are to determine
would be related to a topic that is in the content being taught at the time. Students must be able to think about vocabulary words in
ways that were not provided by the definitions, lab experiences, worksheets, or teacher descriptions.
Materials:
 Index cards
 Colored pencils (recommended but not required)
 Stop watch, watch with a second hand, or other timing device
Creating the cards:
This classroom variation begins by having the students create the cards that will be used during the game. One card may be created
by each student as part of a daily vocabulary development activity. Student information can be written on the back of the index
card. The collection of cards may be used with this game as a review of the information once enough cards have been added to the
collection.
The teacher should assign a different vocabulary word to each student (if there are enough vocabulary words to make this possible)
or assign each vocabulary word to only two or three students. This will allow all the vocabulary words to be used and reviewed.
Other words, that were used in the previous content (chapters) which relate to or are used to explain ideas in the current program
of study, may also be used. Students are to consider how the vocabulary word they have been assigned relates to other words,
phrases or ideas. The words that are assigned to the students may be used as the target word (the common bond) or as one of the
examples /descriptors of the target word (words that are related or share the common bond; they may simply be a list of examples).
Students are to indicate the vocabulary word they are assigned by placing a check mark after that word on the card they create.
Each student is given an index card and is instructed to print the target word on the bottom line of the card. On the first three lines
of the card, the student is to list three words that share that common bond. See the examples below:
the Earth
a magnet √
flags
Mercury
Venus
Earth
things with poles
terrestrial planets √
potassium
sodium
lithium
wheelbarrow
bottle opener
wrench
Alkali metals √
second class levers √
back of the card example
Sally Mander
5th period Biology
More cards- The teacher may also create cards and add them to the collection. This will ensure that the concepts and connections
that should to be covered during the review game will be covered in the review game.
Modified from the Mattel’s Tribond game by Robin Anglin
Rules of the game:
Randomly select or assign teams; there are numerous ways to do this. You may put several students on a team so the number of
teams in the class is more manageable. Assign each team a number; team 1, team 2, team 3, etc.
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Students should be organized and sitting with their team members.
The teacher reads from the list of descriptors on a card. A reasonable amount time is allotted for teams to discuss and
determine the bond between the words that were given. The recommended allotted time would vary depending on the
grade and level of the students in the class.
After the allotted time has passed, team 1 gets to guess the target word first; if their answer is correct, they earn a point.
Points may be recorded on the board in the front of the class or the team may keep the card for the word they guess
correctly. Simply count the cards at the end of the game; the team with the most cards wins.
If team 1 does not guess the target word, team 2 gets to guess the target word. If they are not correct, team 3 get to guess,
and so on…
If the target word is not guessed, the card is returned to the deck, and new card is selected and read by the teacher.
The team, whose member correctly guessed that last word, gets to attempt guess the target word first when the game
continues with a new card.
o If this proves to be a problem because the same team continues to guess correctly and other teams do not get a
turn, the rules of the game can be changed. Simply start with the next team (numerical order). After every
correct answer is given and allow the next sequential team to begin that round with the new card. This will insure
that all students (teams) get a turn.
Variations:
 Sometimes there is a little time left at the end of the class period, not enough time to start something new, but enough
time to be used effectively. The teacher may use the Tribond cards at that time and students do not have to be separated
into teams for this quick variation of the activity. The teacher simply reads from the cards and students call out (or are
called upon to attempt) a guess.
 A teacher in a middle school or high school setting may teach the same class several times a day. Cards may be compiled
from all those classes and students, teams, or classes from different periods may compete against each other and scores
may be posted throughout the day.
Modified from the Mattel’s Tribond game by Robin Anglin